Wireless lighting control systems may utilize radio frequency (RF) communication to communicate control signals to an antenna element that is mounted on a driver board of a light fixture or bulb. For example, a user may turn on, turn off, or dim a light using wireless control. However, sometimes light fixtures include a housing that is constructed of a metallic material. The antenna element may be placed within or enclosed by the metallic housing. Thus, the metallic housing may act as an RF shield, which effectively blocks RF signals from reaching the antenna element. As a result, it may be difficult to wirelessly control the light, since the metallic housing significantly reduces the ability of RF signals to reach the antenna element.
In one attempt to improve RF reception within a lighting fixture, a three dimensional antenna such as, for example, a relatively small whip antenna may be soldered to the driver board of the lighting fixture. However, soldering the whip antenna to the driver board may substantially increase the labor and cost associated with the lighting fixture. Thus, there exists a continuing need in the art for a cost-effective antenna element that provides improved RF reception in an illumination device such as a light fixture or bulb.